Having viewed the latest Community Health Council report published following a further series of meetings with representatives of the Hywel Dda Local Health Board, local county councillor for East Williamston, Jacob Williams, said that he fears the removal of the MIU services from Tenby Cottage Hospital will lead to other services operated from there being removed.

"In Pembroke Dock, there has long been an agreement from Argyle Street Surgery that they would be willing and able to carry out the MIU services," he said.

"It's in Tenby and Saundersfoot where the surgeries not only said they were unable, but were unwilling to do this - and for the CHC to now offer approval if the same arrangement was met in Tenby and Saundersfoot is rather missing the point, and is largely a redundant 'condition', that is unless both surgeries have had a fundamental change of opinion.

"I am not aware of any discussions between the local surgeries and the Health Board, so it is quite possible that they have both changed their minds, though on page 17 of the document it does say that no such arrangement has yet been met."

Clr. Williams said that he felt the real issue was covered by the penultimate sentence on page 22 of the report: 'Separately we would also ask the LHB to explore alternative healthcare uses for its MIU premises within the Tenby Hospital.'

"My view, and that of many others, is that the removal of the MIU services from Tenby Cottage Hospital - which the CHC now supports - will lead to other services operated from there being removed, closed down, reduced, stagnated, whatever you want to call it, and eventually the facility will be deemed surplus to requirements and the building sold off," stated Clr. Williams.

"Hywel Dda has already approached Pembrokeshire County Council to ask if it has any requirement for these premises, so any denials from the Health Board that they are looking to close down and sell off the Tenby Cottage Hospital site should be listened to with this in mind," he added.